Baker, Derek (ed.): Medieval Women. Oxford: Basil Blackwell, published for the Ecclesiastical History Society, 1978. 8vo., pp. xii, 399, [i]. Blue cloth, gilt title to spine. Top edge dusty, near fine. Dust-jacket a little shelf worn but still very good indeed. Studies in Church History series, Subsidia I. Ref: 52158

Bayley, C.: An Entrance into the Sacred Language; Containing the necessary Rules of Hebrew Grammar in English: with the Original Text of several Chapters, select Verses, and useful Histories, Translated Verbatim and Analysed. Likewise some select pieces of Hebrew Poetry. The Whole Digested in so easy a Manner, that a Child of seven Years old may arrive at a c London: printed for the Author by R. Hindmarsh [...], 1782. 8vo., pp. [iv], xvi, [iv], 232. Bound without the 10-page list of subscribers and single-leaf advertisement found at rear of most library copies; Contents bound after Preface, rather than before as is usual. A few marginal pencil notes which have blurred and offset to the leaf opposite, occasional spots and smudges. Contemporary very dark green straight-grain calf, gilt spine, a.e.g., blue marbled endpapers, pink ribbon bookmark bound in. Rubbed, some chips to spine, joints, endcaps and corners worn, a few scratches. Very good overall. Ownership inscription, 'Guil. M. Johnson, A.M.', in an old hand to preliminary blank. Cornelius Bayley (1751–1812) first published this Hebrew grammar in 1778, and received the honorary degree of doctor of divinity from the University of Aberdeen for his efforts. His work as the first incumbent of St James's Church, Manchester drew a large congregation and his facility for Hebrew was greatly admired. A second edition of An Entrance into the Sacred Language appeared after Bayley's death. ESTC T92130 Ref: 51737

[Book of Common Prayer] Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments and Other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, According to the Use of the Church of England Together with the Psalter or Psalms of David, Pointed as they are to be Sung or Said in Churches. London: Engraven and Printed by the Permission of Mr Baskett, Printer to the King's most Excellent M 1717. 8vo., pp.xxii, 166, [ii]. Silverplate engraving throughout, with ornate borders, initials and decorations, and copious illustrations. Volvelle to p.v, single-page publisher's list to rear. Faint toning, volvelle repaired at point of attachment but functional. Recent brown morocco, raised bands, gilt spine with title, a.e.g., very good. 'The effect is harsh and dazzling in the extreme, and surely none but the most enthusiastic devotee ever yet prayed to heaven from the text of Sturt's prayer-book.' (Dibdin, Bibliographical Decameron p.116) Generally considered the most spectacular of Sturt's productions, the entire text is engraved rather than typeset, and is lavishly ornamented. Sturt (1658–1730) specialised in miniature work and was renowned for having engraved the Lord's Prayer in the space of a silver halfpenny and the Creed within that of a penny. Here his frontispiece portrait of King George I showcases this skill, being composed of the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, the Ten Commandments, a prayer for the royal family, and Psalm 21, all inscribed in lines of tiny characters across the King's profile. The overall effect disquiets Dibdin to a degree this cataloguer cannot recall seeing before, as he describes the miniscule text 'running horizontally and directly across the physiognomy of his Majesty. These sacred parts of our Liturgy were perhaps never before so unpicturesquely introduced.' He recovers his composure though, and admires the book's visual impact if not its practicality: 'The effect is harsh and dazzling in the extreme, and surely none but the most enthusiastic devotee ever yet prayed to heaven from the text of Sturt's prayer-book.' (Dibdin, Bibliographical Decameron p.116) Five variants are listed by the ESTC, this copy being that with a cherub-filled border to page v, and no numeral in the head margin. ESTC T141241 Ref: 51511show full image..

Caviness, Madeline Harrison: The Windows of Christ Church Cathedral Canterbury. London: Published for the British Academy by Oxford University Press, 1981. Folio, pp. xxxv, [v], 352, [iv] + 224 pages of plates. A little very light foxing to final few leaves. Dark grey cloth, gilt titles to spine and upper board. Head-cap slightly creased, a little very light shelf wear, no dust-jacket, very good. Corpus Vitrearum Medii Aevi: Great Britain Volume II: Christ Church Cathedral, Canterbury. Published under the auspices of the Comit´´´e International D'Histoire de L'Art and the Union Academique Internationale. Copy no. 939 of 1025. Ref: 52096

Gurnall, William: The Christian in Compleat Armour. Or, a Treatise, of the Saints War Against the Devil; Wherein Discovery is made of that Grand Enemy of God and his People, in his Policies, Power, Seat of his Empire, Wickedness, and chief design he hath against the Saints. A Magazin Opened, from whence the Christian is furnished with Spiritual Arms for London: printed for Ralph Smith, 1669. 5th edition. Folio, pp. [xvi], 150, 520, [xxiv]. Woodcut head- and tail-pieces and initials, errata on (b)4v. Tiny manicule to p.3, a few marginal crosses to index. Small hole to leaf F affecting a few words, 10cm closed tear to 3M3 with no loss, 2C3 creased. Occasional spots, smudges and ink blots, final leaf creased and a bit foxed. Contemporary brown sheep, crudely rebacked in skiver but now faded and failing at both joints though cords are sound. All edges very worn and peeling, corners frayed, endpapers toned and repaired at hinges with marbled paper now split. As it stands, internally good and soundly sewn, still a good reading copy (and priced accordingly); but would greatly benefit from the attentions of a binder. To front paste-down: pencilled ownership inscription of P.A. Slack dated May 1969; 19th-century bookplate of Rev. Matthew Pugh. To title-page, inscription of J. Seymour in an old hand. 'In 1662 the third and final part of Gurnall's treatise The Christian in Compleat Armour was published, the first and second parts having appeared in 1655 and 1658. The first part was dedicated to his flock at Lavenham; the third to the aged patroness of the godly, Mary, Lady Vere, of Kirby Hall, to whose care two of the royal children had been entrusted by the parliamentarian authorities in the civil war [...] [Christian Armour] had a significant impact both in his own lifetime and long after his death as a work of spiritual consolation and exhortation. [...] The book was reprinted many times into the nineteenth and indeed the twentieth centuries and the translation into Welsh alone was reprinted four times between 1775 and 1809.' (ODNB) ESTC R28051; Wing G2257 Ref: 52062

Hody, Humphrey: De Bibliorum Textibus Originalibus, Versionibus Graecis, & Latina Vulgata: Libri IV. Oxonii [Oxford]: e Theatro Sheldoniano, 1705. Folio, pp.[xii], XXXVI, 664 + portrait frontispiece. Printer's device to title-page. Very clean and bright internally. Contemporary light tan calf, raised bands, tan morocco gilt title label, blind-tooled frame to each board, edges sprinkled red. A bit rubbed, spine slightly faded, a few small chips and scratches plus slight surface worming near top corner of upper board, endpapers a little toned. An excellent copy. Small paper library labels at head and tail of spine. To the front paste-down, armorial bookplate from the Earl of Macclesfield's North Library, dated 1860. The same crest with the motto Sapere Aude appears as a small embossed stamp to frontis, title and dedication. To the top corner of the ffep, 'Hodij de Septuagint' written in an old hand. De Bibliorum Textibus Originalibus was the last of Hody's (1659–1707) works to be published in his lifetime. In his earliest publication, Contra Historiam Aristeae de LXX Interpretibus Dissertatio (Oxford, 1684), Hody had shown that Aristeas' letter containing an account of the production of the Septuagint was a forgery. Isaac Vossius published an vitriolic reply to this in the appendix to his edition of Pomponius Mela (1686). Here, Hody issues a reply to Vossius's criticisms as well as revisiting his original work on the Septuagint. 'In his will, made in November 1706, he wished that all copies of his last book unsold at the time of his death should be "disposed of beyond Sea and let none be sold in England besides those perhaps of the larger paper"' (ODNB) Hody's final work De Graecis Illustribus, was published posthumously in 1742 by Samuel Jebb. ESTC T86088 Ref: 51768

Jewel (or Jewell), John: Apologia Ecclesiae Anglicanae. Priorum editionum collatione castigatior. Cantabrigiae [Cambridge]: Excudebat Joannes Hayes, 1683. 12mo., pp. [vi] 182 [iv], including two leaves of advertisements at rear. The occasional minor spot, some marginal pencil notes. Contemporary blind-panelled calf, spine in four compartments with raised bands between blind rules, edges red. Slightly rubbed, one cornertip worn, paste-downs a little tattered at edges and lifted, but judging by the location of the inscription they have been so for quite some time. Very good overall. Armorial Chippendale-style bookplate of Henry Usticke inside front board. Early ink purchase note to rear of (lifted) pastedown: "me suis addidit Carolus Grale quarto dii Julii, Annoq. Dom. 1684, p'tium--01--06". To title-page, inscription of Henry Usticke dated 1750, and an inscription of John Warren, undated but in an old hand (perhaps the ejected Shropshire minister (1621–1696) whose extensive correspondence with Richard Baxter on English Puritanism is preserved in volume XIV of Baxter's manuscript treatises in Dr Williams's Library.) Henry Usticke (1720-1769) was vicar at Breage in Cornwall. He was married to Mary Borlase (the arms of the bookplate here show Borlase quartering Pendarves, as well as Usticke), daughter of the historian and mayor of Penzance Walter Borlase (1694-1776) and niece of the celebrated Cornish antiquary and naturalist William Borlase (1696-1772). Usticke appears to have assisted his father-in-law in some researches into the language of Cornwall: some of Borlase's manuscripts now preserved in the British Library are in Usticke's hand. John Jewel, Bishop of Salisbury, composed this important defence of the new Anglican Church in response to rumours on the continent about the departure from Roman Catholicism. It was frequently reprinted in London after the first edition of 1562, but this is the first Cambridge printing. ESTC R1989. Ref: 32756show full image..